(03 Jun 2025, 6:35 pm)Michael wrote 9037 seems to of left the fleet, alongside some of the other loans.

Yes, change of plan apparently, returned to the lease company after all. Consett and Washington, still have a some for a few more weeks.

(03 Jun 2025, 6:57 pm)Retro Nero wrote Yes, change of plan apparently, returned to the lease company after all. Consett and Washington, still have a some for a few more weeks.

It was always planned to return to the lease company...

(03 Jun 2025, 8:51 pm)Liam Hall wrote It was always planned to return to the lease company...

Removed from the latest company fleet list at

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/fleet-list

Oddly, this now includes the entire allocation of Arriva's Blyth depot !!

(03 Jun 2025, 8:59 pm)N391OTY wrote Removed from the latest company fleet list at

https://www.gonortheast.co.uk/fleet-list

Oddly, this now includes the entire allocation of Arriva's Blyth depot !!

Yeah, that's so you can track Arriva's buses along the coast road on the GNE app

Caught 6973 on the 27, today. Not saying it's a boneshaker but the upper deck emergency exit alarm went off and the driver had to come up and secure it. My own delicate derriere has just about recovered from the hard seats.

Noticed for the first time today that 6318 has an old style (Amber) Destination Display fitted , never noticed before

8321 is at Deptford now. Passed it on the 36, had to double take!

(17 Jun 2025, 3:16 pm)F114TML wrote 8321 is at Deptford now. Passed it on the 36, had to double take!

It's a floating vehicle while some of the fleet get a corporate repaint ( Drifters and East Durhams)

6356 small fire on the X10
https://fb.watch/Aio3ATSrui/

Looks like 6321 replaced 6356 on X10, with 6952 taking over from 6321 on the 21.

(18 Jun 2025, 11:46 am)Arriva7446 wrote 6356 small fire on the X10
https://fb.watch/Aio3ATSrui/

3/4 of the Enviros are currently VOR, the X21 Streetdecks seem to be the stop gap. 

Really need something more sutiable, surely cost wise the amount of issues with buses that run on that route its wise to invest.

(18 Jun 2025, 1:05 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote 3/4 of the Enviros are currently VOR, the X21 Streetdecks seem to be the stop gap. 

Really need something more sutiable, surely cost wise the amount of issues with buses that run on that route its wise to invest.

They're nearing 5 years old, nothing has been lasting that long on the X10, and they still haven't learned.

(18 Jun 2025, 1:05 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote 3/4 of the Enviros are currently VOR, the X21 Streetdecks seem to be the stop gap. 

Really need something more sutiable, surely cost wise the amount of issues with buses that run on that route its wise to invest.

The StreetDecks should be nowhere near the X10....backup should be Crusader or TVT B9TLs!

As I'e said before, I know GNE could re-shuffle the X30/X70 interworkings to reduce the low height PVR (basically allowing x8 StreetDeck and x8 E400MMC to be swapped giving Riverside flexibility) but I doubt GNE would trust them on some of the steep climbs around Derwentside!

Think only long term solution would be a solid batch of new UltroLiners or E400MMC for the X10 & X21 with x2 spares. Both routes carry good loads and if they rotated them around properly to spread the wear & tear out a bit like what Arriva do at Ashington, it would give GNE options to cascade them after 5 years...or possibly longer if the rotation helped.

(18 Jun 2025, 4:05 pm)L469 YVK wrote The StreetDecks should be nowhere near the X10....backup should be Crusader or TVT B9TLs!

Think only long term solution would be a solid batch of new UltroLiners

So if they should be nowhere near the X10, how would a new batch of the same vehicles solve the problem?

(18 Jun 2025, 7:26 pm)PH - BQA wrote So if they should be nowhere near the X10, how would a new batch of the same vehicles solve the problem?

The newer UltroLiners (StreetDecks) come with more powerful Cummins options

(18 Jun 2025, 8:17 pm)L469 YVK wrote The newer UltroLiners (StreetDecks) come with more powerful Cummins options

Didn't 6377 come with a more powerful engine? A bus which failed to reach Middlesbrough on trip 1 on Tuesday, and looks like it broke in Peterlee at lunchtime on Monday. 

The diesel Streetdeck doesn't seem to have been popular literally anywhere else for express work, so I'm not sure GNE buying a bespoke batch for the X10/21 given their experiences with their current versions is on the cards really.

(18 Jun 2025, 8:55 pm)PH - BQA wrote Didn't 6377 come with a more powerful engine? A bus which failed to reach Middlesbrough on trip 1 on Tuesday, and looks like it broke in Peterlee at lunchtime on Monday. 

The diesel Streetdeck doesn't seem to have been popular literally anywhere else for express work, so I'm not sure GNE buying a bespoke batch for the X10/21 given their experiences with their current versions is on the cards really.

It did.........but Cummins is more trusted and proven as shown in the E400/E400MMC.

GNE's issue has been lack of fleet rotation. If you look at Arriva Ashington, their E400MMC get a similar hammering. But the big difference is that Arriva utilise their's correctly.

- Easy work = X21/35, X22
- Harder work = X14, X15, X18, X20

GNE could easily do this with newer vehicles now that the X21 is at Riverside. Heck could even throw the 10/10A/10B/12 into the mix.

I agree the actual X10 route would suit a coach......but I don't think the logistics are economically workable incluuding gettimg 53 seaters and upping frequency.

Don't volvo do a B8 double decker now?

(19 Jun 2025, 10:40 am)F114TML wrote Don't volvo do a B8 double decker now?

Only on a tri-axile which would have no future re-sale or cascading potential.....which coaches do, but the logistics / feasbility would be difficult to achieve.

Followed a NIS ex-London E400 earlier and I genuinely thought it was missing it's rear reg plate.

Turns out it was hidden behind muck and grime near the rear blind. 
A speed camera wouldn't have had any chance in getting the reg number - assuming it could get any speed up like.

(19 Jun 2025, 4:31 pm)Andreos1 wrote Followed a NIS ex-London E400 earlier and I genuinely thought it was missing it's rear reg plate.

Turns out it was hidden behind muck and grime near the rear blind. 
A speed camera wouldn't have had any chance in getting the reg number - assuming it could get any speed up like.

I took pity on a bus today.

I was waiting to turn right out of Craghead crossroads as a bus from the "Voyager Bus and Coach" company was slowly limping up the hill, doing a duty on behalf of Go North East on the 16A,

I probably could have easily made my manoeuver out of the junction, but I decided to wait, as if I caused the bus to brake, the poor thing might never have gotten started again.

(19 Jun 2025, 5:07 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I took pity on a bus today.

I was waiting to turn right out of Craghead crossroads as a bus from the "Voyager Bus and Coach" company was slowly limping up the hill, doing a duty on behalf of Go North East on the 16A,

I probably could have easily made my manoeuver out of the junction, but I decided to wait, as if I caused the bus to brake, the poor thing might never have gotten started again.

When those buses first came to GNE, they were so powerful, now they're pitiful.

(19 Jun 2025, 5:07 pm)MurdnunoC wrote I took pity on a bus today.

I was waiting to turn right out of Craghead crossroads as a bus from the "Voyager Bus and Coach" company was slowly limping up the hill, doing a duty on behalf of Go North East on the 16A,

I probably could have easily made my manoeuver out of the junction, but I decided to wait, as if I caused the bus to brake, the poor thing might never have gotten started again.

You would think they would at least give them a fresh lick of paint and some new seat trim, with them all virtually being in frontline service daily on the Diamond or XLINES X5/X15

(19 Jun 2025, 6:41 pm)WestDurhamSwift wrote You would think they would at least give them a fresh lick of paint and some new seat trim, with them all virtually being in frontline service daily on the Diamond or XLINES X5/X15

Or fixed the coving spelling errors!

(18 Jun 2025, 4:05 pm)L469 YVK wrote The StreetDecks should be nowhere near the X10....backup should be Crusader or TVT B9TLs!

As I'e said before, I know GNE could re-shuffle the X30/X70 interworkings to reduce the low height PVR (basically allowing x8 StreetDeck and x8 E400MMC to be swapped giving Riverside flexibility) but I doubt GNE would trust them on some of the steep climbs around Derwentside!

Think only long term solution would be a solid batch of new UltroLiners or E400MMC for the X10 & X21 with x2 spares. Both routes carry good loads and if they rotated them around properly to spread the wear & tear out a bit like what Arriva do at Ashington, it would give GNE options to cascade them after 5 years...or possibly longer if the rotation helped.

Hopefully when/IF they do order replacements for the X10 they will not brand them so they can be rotated onto other routes without being instantly spotted, everything corporate like stagecoach do but make the saloons comfortable for the passengers/drivers, branding is more hassle than its worth

Looks like one of the loan E200MMC's is now at Deptford, its parked up in the parking area in Park Lane with the X20 on the back destination board.

(20 Jun 2025, 5:27 am)Michael wrote Looks like one of the loan E200MMC's is now at Deptford, its parked up in the parking area in Park Lane with the X20 on the back destination board.

Yes the only ,E200 on loan left

Just chatted with a PM fitter doing a swap out when passing on an evening dog walk. By the way he was describing, sounds like PM could possibly be getting the current Angel StreetDecks when they're replaced by EV's.

I hope just got his wires a bit crossed   as PM's B9TLs have been good workhorses - although no doubt 6101-17 would give good service elsewhere and fill some much needed gaps.

What works are getting done at Saltmeadows? a lot if concrete is getting lifted???

5454 is in Sunderland doing the 24s. Seen it but couldn't get a photo.